Two contenders will go toe-to-toe on Monday evening down in Florida as the Dallas Stars visit the Tampa Bay Lightning in cross-conference action. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7 PM EST at Amalie Arena. This is the second meeting in a row between the two teams after Dallas rocked Tampa 8-1 on Saturday to keep their winning ways going. While the Stars and Lightning are on opposite sides of the spectrum in the standings, they’re both very much squads who have what it takes to be in the playoffs next year. Below, find the Stars vs Lightning picks.
Before diving into the NHL picks, check out our top hockey betting sites and the Vegas odds for the NHL in the 2023-24 season.
There’s no clear favorite here, with the odds relatively even. At BetUS, Dallas and Tampa have -110 odds. The Bolts had won three of the last four against the Stars before Saturday’s lopsided outcome.
The Stars made a run all the way to the West Finals last season and have followed that up with an impressive 2023-24 campaign. They’re second in the Central Division with a 14-5-3 record and have also gone 6-2-2 in their last 10 outings. Not bad by any means. On both ends of the ice, Dallas is extremely solid. They rank sixth in goals scored (3.55) and eighth in fewest goals allowed (2.77).
There’s a lot of different guys doing their part offensively. Joe Pavelski leads the way with 11 goals and 13 assists, while Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz are also putting up big numbers. You also can’t forget about others like Matt Duchene, Tyler Seguin, or Wyatt Johnston. Up and down this Stars roster, so many players are capable of producing. That’s tough to find across the league.
Robertson was the star of the show as Dallas scored eight over the weekend. he had two goals, while six others also found the back of the net. Pavelski also scored and tallied two assists. The Stars managed to chase Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy rather quickly. Jake Oettinger on the other hand was stout in between the posts with 32 saves on 33 shots. The Stars took an early 3-1 lead in the opening period and never looked back. Monday’s game marks the beginning of a tough stretch for Dallas, who face the Panthers, Capitals, Golden Knights, and Red Wings after Tampa. It will be a good test to see whether they’re a pretender or a contender. Chances are it’s the latter.
Everyone knows the Bolts have been a powerhouse in recent years, even winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. But, they bowed out in the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs last year and might not even make the playoffs this season given their play. Tampa is 10-10-5, which is good enough for fifth in the Atlantic Division. Unfortunately, the Lightning come into Monday on a four-game losing streak. During that span, the team has scored a mere five times.
Scoring hasn’t really been an issue, it’s more about keeping opponents out of their net. Tampa is allowing 3.72 goals per night, which ranks 30th in the NHL. Jonas Johansson could not hold the fort down without Vasilevskiy, who just returned from injury. But, as we saw Saturday, he was embarrassed by Dallas and Johansson wasn’t much better. This is a brutal skid for the Bolts right now who need to break out of it. Considering how Saturday turned out, motivation should be at an all-time high.
Nikita Kucherov is having a monster season with 15 goals and 25 assists, while Brayden Point has 12 goals and 18 assists. The likes of Steven Stamkos, Brandon Hagel, and veteran Victor Hedman continue to make it happen, too. The stars on the Lightning roster must muster up some goals against Dallas and help get their team back on track.
It’s only a matter of time until the Lightning respond and Saturday was definitely a wake-up call. I expect them to come out on Monday at home and get it done. Take the moneyline.
See below the top Las Vegas betting sites where you can wager online and choose the best one for you. Most of them also offer amazing casinos, like the BetOnline Casino. Check them out!
